Odd question...or two

[flutterbee]

I'm not sure what order to ask these in or if it matters. Right now I'm experiencing both of them and I don't know if I usually experience them together or separately. Yet another thing for me to chart. But, I wonder if any of you experience this or have any ideas. I will be talking to my doctor about it. I've meant to in the past, but I keep forgetting. I'll write it down.

First, you know how some medications - narcotic pain medications come to mind - are respiratory depressants? I'm sensitive to medications, so even at the lowest dose, I can feel a definite difference. I feel like my heart is pounding hard and kind of feel like I'm not getting enough oxygen, but I know I am and I am so freaking tired it's like I ran a marathon and all I did was load the dishwasher. Mentally exhausted, too. Like thought is hard. And I haven't taken anything other than naproxen - an NSAID - today. I've had this happen often before. Like I remember one time I let the dog in and it did it. But, it doesn't always happen. I don't have any chest pain. I'm not worried at all about my heart. It's just very disconcerting. I'm actually debating going to the ER just to be checked. I don't know. I don't think it's that bad. It would be more for peace of mind.

And the second thing - and one of the things stopping me from going to the ER is if I eat a normal sized meal, I get so exhausted. Like don't want to move or think exhausted. I normally eat small meals. I use the little plates instead of a dinner plate. I've always been that way. Tonight I ate a normal serving (or what is considered normal nowadays) and I'm so exhausted. I don't know if it's from the meal or from the other thing, but I do know it happens a lot from eating without the respiratory thing going on. Is that abnormal?

I'm just a little freaked out from the first thing and need some reassurance. It's not the first time it's happened, by far, and everything has always been ok, but...I don't know. It's kinda bothering me tonight.

 

[crazymama30]

From what I have seen, many people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or other respiratory problems c/o tiredness after meals.

Do you have any anxiety?

husband takes pain medications (percocet) and they make him grumpy, but I will ask him about the heart pounding.

It could be if you are working harder to breathe because of the medications that then as a result your heart has to work harder to get oxygenated blood throughout the body. I am just guessing here, I have limited knowledge.

 

[DammitJanet]

Do you mean like you feel that you cant catch enough breath? Like it feels almost like you are smothering but you know in your head you really arent? If so, I get that if I have taken pain medications at an increased dose.

 

[flutterbee]

I haven't taken any pain medications. I was just using that as an example because I do get this, too, with pain medications but I can tell it's from the medications, Know what I mean??

I do feel like I'm not getting enough air. I keep taking really deep breathes.

It's not anxiety. When I get anxiety, my heart races and I feel like I cant' catch my breath, but I don't feel like I'm not getting enough air, if that makes any sense. Plus, when I have anxiety, I don't become exhausted. With anxiety, I don't want to stop moving and my mind goes a million miles a minute.

 

[flutterbee]

Well, it didn't get any better and when my head started to thump and I broke out in a sweat just sitting here I took myself to the ER.

My BiPolar (BP) was 186/106. Guess that explains the headache, huh? My oxygen levels were good. I was pretty surprised at that cause I really just felt like I wasn't getting air.

I was there for about 3 hours. Chest x-rays and bloodwork all ok. By the time I left, my BiPolar (BP) was 135/78. Much better. They said it's probably bronchitis. I don't know. I've had bronchitis before and felt much more sick, but maybe it's just starting. Offered antibiotics and I refused and told them last time all I needed was the Advair inhaler. So he wrote me a script for that. According to my GP most cases of bronchitis are viral. If they go on for more than 3 weeks, then you need antibiotics.

I don't know. I've had these episodes several times before. I'll just follow up with my GP.

 

[Hound dog]

Heather are you retaining water? I have the breathing problems like you describe when I'm retaining water really bad. When I say that it doesn't mean that I'm blown up like a balloon either. I retain water in places other people don't due to the kidneys. My neck, my abdomen, to varying degrees in hands and feet. But when the neck and abdomen start swelling (even if it's not alot) I start noticing the breathing issues.

I have had the exhaustion after eating. Actually, I have it fairly often. Kidney doctor called it something. He swore it was because I had too much protein and sugar in my diet and my kidneys couldn't handle it. I don't know how true it is, but I do know when I began the "kidney diet" it disappeared. And now that I've been falling off the wagon on occasion, I'm seeing it again.

Hugs

 

[TerryJ2]

I hope you feel better, Heather. I have no words of wisdom. But I'm glad you went to the ER and that you're following up with-your regular doctor. S/he will be able to answer a lot of those questions.

 

[Star*]

Heather,

When I have breathing problems I am anemic. I have to take iron supplements. If I miss them I have trouble breathing. I wonder if the food as it goes down your esophagus is pushing on your diaphram and giving you the sense that you can't breath as good as you did before you ate? Like maybe the muscles or whatever it is that makes your esophagus move rythmically is being hindered by the pain medications?

I wish I had some answers for you, but I do have hugs -

BIG HUGS
Star

 

[hearts and roses]

Just an FYI - Even though you've had bronchitis and/or anxiety attacks that didn't feel exactly like the symptoms you're experienceing now, it could still be.

My asthma, sinus infections and bronchitis all changed as I aged - very different from when I was a kid, and then as a teen to now.

What you described sounds exactly how I feel when I have one of two things.

The first is if I've been smoking and my lungs are tired - similar to when I'm having the beginnings of an asthma attack and I can't seem to breathe in the necessary amount of air, almost like I'm gasping but without the sound of gasping, Know what I mean??

And the second, this is how anxiety initially manifests itself with me. If I can take some xanax and nip it in the bud, I will avoid an attack. However, more often it will stay at this seemingly innocuous level where I'm just having a hard time getting a normal breath rather than turn into a full blown anxiety attack. That's my experience, obviously not necessarily yours.

I'm glad you're following up with your regular dr. I hope you feel better.​

 

[flutterbee]

Lisa, I don't know about the water retention. I don't think so, but I've also noticed lately that I can't have shoes on when I'm sitting. Slip on shoes, tennis shoes it doesn't matter. My feet swell til the shoes hurt and I have to take them off. Even in the car, I'll untie my tennis shoes and loosen them if not take them off altogether. But, it's not like I have all of this swelling hanging over my shoes either.

I'm still not coughing and no tightness in my chest, but I have the body aches that tell me something is going on.

 

[SearchingForRainbows]

Heather,

I don't have any information to help you - I wish I did. I just want to let you know I'm thinking about you, glad you're following through with your doctor, and hope you feel much, much better ASAP!!! WFEN

 

[Shari]

Hi.
***
I've had hypoglycemia for years, tho rarely had trouble with it after I was 14 or 15 or so, until more recently. It tends to bring on exhaustion relative to food. I can't imagine that you haven't been tested with all you've been thru, but its worth asking. Or, if you want, try sticking to a more "diabetic" type diet for a few days, see if it helps. Sure does me.

 

[flutterbee]

I've had hypoglycemia since childhood which is why I've always done small meals spread out over the day. But, that is something to consider with the exhaustion after eating. I hadn't thought of that. This feels different than when my blood sugar drops, but it could still be related.

I'm used to fatigue. But this is an almost overwhelming desire to lie down and close my eyes and everything is just such an effort.

 

[Steely]

Could you be suffering from low blood pressure? Have you taken your blood pressure when these episodes happen?